000 » my heart isn't beating

[royalist]

TFLN OVERFLOW.

for will at royalist.

Comments

[luciferi]

You've traded a headband for a crown, though you don't nearly look as comfortable with one of those on your head as the other.

[royalist]

The crown's too big. Did you ever see the portraits of the previous kings before Zorba destroyed them all? They were all so much bigger than I am.

...Maybe I'll get someone to make a replacement for my headband.

[luciferi]

Did they not consider the possibility of a short king?

[ i am aware of this pun and now we are all better for it ]

[royalist]

[ oh my god... louis ]

Short would be okay, but I'm also just small.

An armorer once told me that my head circumference is smaller than average, so he didn't have anything appropriate for me...

[luciferi]

Take me to this armorer.

[royalist]

What? Why?

[luciferi]

I would have a word.

[royalist]

It's not something that requires a word!

[luciferi]

It is if he denied you service because you are elda. A skilled armorer has much to work with – horns, pointed ears, other features due to tribal differences. If he purely thought it difficult due to the size of your head, then he is either lying or an amateur in his craft.

[royalist]

It's really okay, Louis. He wasn't unkind. It was a small town, so maybe he just didn't have the equipment to adjust things.

[luciferi]

As you wish, but I do not like it.

[royalist]

[ ...he really shouldn't find this behavior cute, and yet... ]

You can yell at the next person who mistreats me for being elda as much as you want.

[luciferi]

I will polish my sword in preparation.

[ Louis he said "yell" ]

[royalist]

[ he said yell...

well... maybe it'll be okay...

his husband needs stabbies sometimes... ]

Louis?

Are you... still okay with your headband?

[luciferi]

My headband?

Do you mean the artifact that I wear as clemar horns?

[royalist]

Yes.

I'm still... trying to create a world where you don't feel like you have to wear it.

[luciferi]

Wearing them never bothered me. I'm aware of who and what I am, and thus the disguise serves nothing other than what it is. It changes nothing.

There is no world that will change so fast that would accept the scandal if I were to remove them. At least, not yet.

[royalist]

I know. Not yet. But one day, I promise.

It's important to me.

Sometimes I think about how you were prepared to die without the world knowing your secret... and my heart aches...

[luciferi]

It was only important that you knew it.

[royalist]

I want everyone to know, too. One day.

I want them to know that my husband is an elda, and I love him.

[luciferi]

You will have your chance. Euchronia is not ready for two eldas at its stead.

If there's anything to live for, it's the looks on everyone's faces when they find out. Perhaps you and I are part of some secret, sordid elda conspiracy – that sounds rather exciting.

[royalist]

What should our secret elda conspiracy be?

[luciferi]

Perhaps we took the throne due to our own foul desires, and intend to sully it with our elda proclivities.

[ he quite likes the sound of that ]

[royalist]

Oh, "elda proclivities." I like the sound of that.

I want to explore "elda proclivities" in our bedroom tonight.

[luciferi]

Perhaps there is some truth in it.

We are elda, and we do have certain proclivities.